Experts at the International Solid Waste Association side at COP28 in Dubai have tipped Zoomlion’s Integrated Recycling and Compost Plants (IRECOPs) as a solution to Africa’s waste challenges.
Dr. Abena Asomaning Antwi, Managing Director of the Africa Environmental Sanitation Consult (AfESC), commended the Ghana Government for fostering an enabling environment that allowed Zoomlion to establish 38 sustainable waste treatment plants in the country.
She disclosed that the governance system in Ghana has set strategic targets for ministries and department towards a collective outcome of achieving several SDGs and each of them have worked tirelessly in that direction, making it even more convinient for sectorial improvement.
Dr. Antwi made the disclosure during a panel discussion at the conference.
Dr. Glenn Gyimah, a waste management expert at AfESC, explained that Ghana’s IRECOPs were strategically designed after rigorous research, aiming to address not only the continent’s combined waste problems but also its challenging climatic conditions.
He said all the waste management efforts in Ghana are geared towards enahcing a circular economy in the near future.
Mr. Idrissa Diatta, a waste management expert from Senegal, highlighted the scarcity of concept on waste recycling plants in his country, contrasting it with Ghana’s proactive approach. He urged Zoomlion to market its IRECOPs for adoption across the African region.
In a remarkable achievement, four of Zoomlion’s IRECOPs received authorization documents from the Swiss Government, conferring carbon credit totalling 20 million euros for the first phase.
This milestone reinforces Zoomlion’s commitment to sustainability and marks a significant step towards addressing environmental concerns in Africa.
The recognition at COP28 reflects the growing importance of innovative waste management solutions, with Zoomlion’s IRECOPs emerging as a potential model for other African nations to follow.